Baby Carlton
by Kristen3
Summary: While holding his newborn son, Toby reflects on how he wound up becoming a father at such a young age. One-shot. Mostly fluff. Obvious spoilers for the S4 finale!


Toby could hardly believe it as he held the tiny baby in his arms. His son. He was a father. Barely in his 20's, and now the father of a disabled child. But, where most people would see a chromosomal abnormality, Toby only saw a perfect son. Lily was asleep in the other room. They were living together so that they could both take care of little Carlton. No one had brought up the subject of marriage. It was enough to adjust to parenthood, without the added stress a marriage would bring.

But Toby wasn't thinking about that now. As he looked at Carlton peacefully sleeping, he couldn't help but reflect on the unlikely series of events that had led him to this point. None of it would've been possible if it hadn't been for this two sisters. Most of his life, Toby had only had one sister, Bay. But, thanks to a biology lesson and a trip to a genetic counselor, his entire family had changed overnight. At first, his family hadn't reacted well to the switch. Daphne had been raised in a totally different world than the Kennish's upscale neighborhood. It also didn't help matters that Daphne was profoundly deaf. But, over the past four years, the Kennish-Vasquez family had truly become one.

If someone had told Toby that he would volunteer at a school for the deaf, he would've said they were crazy. And he certainly never would've believed he'd meet a girl there. His relationship with Lily had its ups and downs. But once Lily found out she was pregnant, they knew they had to put aside their issues for the sake of their child. Toby went through so many emotions when he learned that his child would have Down syndrome. But, ultimately, he and Lily had decided to have this baby.

Carlton began to squirm in his sleep. "Oh, Carlton...you might have a lot more challenges than most kids, but that's OK. You've got a family who loves you so much. We'll teach you that nothing can hold you back. I learned that from your Aunt Daphne. She's going to be a deaf doctor! So, no matter what you want to do in life, I'll support you. We all will. Now, if I had my way, you'd end up being a musician, like your old man." He smiled. He was hardly an 'old man.' "But maybe you'll love painting, like Bay, or something completely different. Whatever it is, I'll be proud of you, as long as you're trying your best."

"Your family might seem a bit confusing," Toby continued, hoping his voice would soothe the baby. "It confused me a lot at first. Once we all found out about the switch, I met so many new people at once. Regina, Daphne, Melody, Emmett. I had to learn a whole new language just to talk to my sister." Learning ASL hadn't been easy for his family. They hadn't had a lifetime to learn to sign the way Regina and Melody had.

Toby glanced at a nearby photo. It was taken on the day Carlton was born, just after he and Lily had told the family what they'd chosen to name their son. It really wasn't a very hard choice. After all, without the Carlton School for the Deaf, he wouldn't have met Lily. And he wouldn't have known about the school if it hadn't been for Daphne. The name symbolized the strange turn of events that had led to his birth. "When Mom and Dad had Bay...technically Daphne, it changed everything. I wasn't an only child anymore. And then when we found out about the switch, it changed everything again. And now, here I am, a father. Before you came along, I wasn't sure I was ready to be an adult. I didn't know if I could be responsible for another life, when I could barely keep track of myself. But once I found out you were coming, and I knew we definitely wanted you, I had to grow up suddenly. I've never been a father before," Toby said with a laugh. "I'll probably make some mistakes. But there's one thing I can guarantee you: I'll always love you. No matter what."

It seemed that Carlton had stopped fussing. He was now sound asleep. Toby knew he couldn't sit here holding the baby forever. Quietly, he tiptoed back to the room he now shared with Lily. Being careful not to wake her, he gently put the baby back into his crib. "Sleep tight, little man," he whispered. He leaned down to kiss his son's forehead. For a moment, he pictured what Carlton's future might look like. Because of his disability, he knew some people would treat him differently and make him feel worthless. But, as Toby had learned over the past few years, love really has nothing to do with one's DNA.

 **The End**


End file.
